A Day with No Crayons

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Average customer rating 5 (3 comments)

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I loved this book! After having her crayons taken away for a day because she colored on the wall a little girl discovers the colors in the world around her. An awesome read-aloud story that I intend to use for library storytime.

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A few years ago, I took my young son to an art class where the children explored a new medium each week with a backdrop of music, storytelling and a snack (of course!). Part of the process was parent participation, because these two- and three-year olds were just beginning to explore the tools used to create their weekly works of art. I was dismayed by one grandmother who routinely intervened in this process of discovery for her granddaughter with comments like “no, the eyes need to go here” and “the mouth isn’t big enough” or “a turtle is green, not pink.” You could just see that toddler’s natural creativity being limited by the artificial restrictions being placed on her projects. Thank goodness for A Day With No Crayons by Liz Rusch. Rusch aptly delivers the message to both parents and children that creativity need not be limited by tools or methods or other people’s expectations. When Liza goes a little too far with her crayons, she embarks on a journey, discovering her creativity is bounded only by her imagination. The text is engaging and has a pleasant read-aloud rhythm. Chad Cameron beautifully illustrates the descriptive story with clever combinations of real-world textures and painterly brush strokes. A keen observer will find Cameron’s nod toward Van Gogh and Jackson Pollack. The closing illustration is a delightful rendering showing how art can be found anywhere, even in the mess on a child’s bedroom floor.

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I loved it! This book is beautiful to look at and a delightful read. Kids will appreciate the sympathetic narrator and adults will get a kick out of the references to major artists. It captures well the spirit of creativity with its suggestion that art can be found anywhere and everywhere!